The Frugal Life - Living Well With What You Have

Blue Jeans

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Blue Jeans

• Using them in quilts. I’ve been buying using old jeans and flannel shirts and cutting 2-3 inch squares to piece together in a block/X pattern. I also use a 3rd remnant color- something that matches one of the lines in the flannel to tie together the squares. I vary the patterns but these are so cute. I use old mattress covers as the quilt lining and a solid colored sheet for the backing. Not only are the jeans saved from the trash but just about the whole quilt comes from it!!:) I’m making these for Christmas gifts. Who doesn’t wear jeans/flannel? Everyone loves these. The flannel is so easy to cut out since the checked patterns are usually big enough that just cutting each opposite square out gives me the 2-3 inches needed. (look at an old shirt and you’ll know what I mean) I’m thinking of also making blue jean potholders the same way:) Melanie

• My daughter and her friend bought a rectangular shaped container with a lid that lifts up and covered it in the blue jeans to make a toy box for her friend’s children. They even left in the pockets so that pencils, etc. or small toys could be put in these. It really looks cute and I could send a picture if you want one. Mary

• My favorite use of old blue jeans is the one I did a few years ago. I sewed a Bible cover out of the still strong parts, complete with a pocket from the jeans on the front for note cards and pens. I cut a piece of an old bandana and sewed it above the pocket to make it look like it was stuffed in the pocket. Ellen

• A favorite use for jeans is to cut off the top half just where the legs start, and sew a seam along the bottom , make handles out of the leg material, and use it for a tote bag. I’m making one of these right now. Ellen

• Cut off the legs, turn under the raw edges, and sew straight across the bottom. Braid a long strap out of strips cut from the legs, and attach to each side at the waist. Add Velcro to hold the "waist" closed, if you want, and you have a neat purse or tote bag.

• If you have a loom, blue jeans legs cut into 2 inch strips make a great rug weft. Denim strips can also be braided to make braided rugs.

• Pieces of old jeans, especially those with pockets, can be pieced together for a great teen quilt, comforter, or throw pillows.

• Pockets from old jeans can be added to nearly anything, including other articles of clothing. They can be tacked to bulletin boards, glued to note books, or made into a small purse with the addition of a strap or handle.

• Legs can be cut off and stuffed for neck pillows. If the denim is soft and thin, the ends can be gathered and tied closed. Otherwise, you will have to find a way to sew them shut by hand. As denim weights vary, I’ve never come up with one way to do it that always works – you just have to experiment.

• Fabric scraps from jeans can, of course, be used for all sorts of craft projects, and to patch other jeans! Make iron-on patches with wonder-under, or other fabric bonding medium.

• I have used heavy denim from jeans legs to tar and patch roofs and stuff in cracks to stop drafts. I sure hope jeans never go out of style! Dawn

• Save them and after you have a pretty good pile cut them into manageable pieces (8×8 or 12×12 squares) and stitch them together to make a patchwork blanket. You will have to put batting in the middle and a contrast fabric (cotton or denim) on the back of your blanket. You can make one as small (lap blanket) or as large as you want, depending on how many pairs of jeans you have.

• You can patch some together into pieces and put grommets or a pocket rod on the top and make a curtain for a boys room or other area.

• You can cut the legs off of the jeans and finish the edges with hem or bias tape and add the jean pockets and other fabric pockets to it and hang it on a dowel rod to store school supplies or any other odds and ends in it.

• Blue Jeans as an arm sling- when my 7 year old broke his arm I cut the top off a pair of denim overalls just below the waistline. The straps (as per usual) sat across the shoulders and gave support instead of the knotted and uncomfortable sling. I opened one side for the bad arm to go in and stitched up the bottom at a height that was comfortable for my son. My son wore regular blue jeans and this sling and it almost looked like he was wearing overalls. He liked the support and he liked the jean sling.

• I have had a lot of fun and success in reusing the lower legs of worn out or outgrown blue jeans. I cut below the knee (or hole in the knee) and turn the pant leg inside out. I then sew across the cut edge (knee end) to make a tube. Next, I "mitre" the ends by laying the seam up and sewing a triangle across each end. I then turn the leg right side out. Voila!– a gift bag that will stand upright. I have used these for all kinds, shapes and sizes of gifts. I sometimes stuff the bags with tissue paper or a bandana and leave them open or tie them with ribbon, rope, or bandanas. The top can be used with the hem showing, or folded down in a cuff. Being from Texas, it is a fun way to send a part of me along with the gift. K. Reinbold

• Use them to patch other blue jeans. The back of the legs is usually pretty good to use for patching.

• Use the backs of the legs that aren’t badly worn to make a quilt in the rail fence design which is long strips (about 4 inches wide and 12 inches long, sew 4 of these together to make a block. Make blocks for as big a quilt as you want. When laying them out for the quilt top, lay one lengthwise and the next crosswise to make a stair step type design alternating each row.

• Another quilt idea is to stitch strips together with the seam on the outside, not inside. Once it is washed the seams will fray and it is quite decorative and you don’t need a backing on this.